Sight for fire-arms



(No Model.)

I. J. ORR & P. 0.. HOLMAN.

SIGHT FOR FIRE ARMS.

' No. 358.747. Patented Mn. 1, 188.7.

N FUERS. Phum-Lilhompher, warn-mm n. r.

' UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFIcE.

FRANCIS J. ORR AND FRANK O. HOLMAN, OF \VELLINGTON, KANSAS.

SIGHT FOR=FlRE-ARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,747, dated March 1,1887.

Application filed May 37, 1886. Renewed February 9, 1887. Serial No.226,994. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANCIS J. ORR and FRANK (J. HOLMAN, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Wellington, in the county of Sumner andState of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSights for Fire-Arms; and we do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Our invention relates to adjustable sights for fire-arms; and itconsists in the construction and arrangement of the parts, which will bemore fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the'claims.

The principal features of our invention comprise a sight disk or platesupported by a pair of parallel bars so hinged that they willmaintainthe sight-plate automatically at the proper angle to the barrel, nomatter at what elevation they may be placed, and which will yield to anyshock tending to force the entire structure forward and be automaticallyreturned to the elevation at which they may have been set. Theconstruction of our sight disk or plate itself also forms one of theessential features of our invention.

Our improved sight is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the severalviews, and in which- Figure-1 is'a perspective view of our gunsight inposition upon a gun-barrel or fire-arm. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig.3 is a front elevation. nection with the grip or tang mounted upon a gunor fire-arm.

Aindicates the base-plate of the sighl,which is preferably made in twoparts or pieces, a to, having plane faces, so that when secured togetherby the screw 1), which enters the gun or fire-arm, they formpracticallya solid baseplate. The advantage of this construction is,that the lower plate or tang-piece, a, may be supplied in differentsizes and shapes to fit different styles of guns or fire-arms, while theplate or piece a,which supports the sight,will always fit the said platea. Formed with the plate a is a standard, a", to which are pivoted Fig.4 is a side elevation in conthe parallel bars B B by independentpivotpins b b. I

The sight-plate G is pivoted to the upper end ofthe bar B by means of apin, 0. It is a plain disk or plate of substantially circular form, inthe center of which are grouped a combination of sight-holes, c, whichwe have shown as four in number. This combined arran gement of the saidaperturesgives a greater scope for the vision, and also affords a betterlight than a single opening. r a

The upper end of the parallel bar B is pivoted by pin 0 to links D,which in turniare pivoted upon the pin a, and formsa stop againstwhichthe front face of the sight disk or plate 0 bears, a flat spring,0?, holding said disk or plate 0 in position for sighting, but allowingit to yield slightly in caseof a blow or concussion from any causeagainst the front side of the sight-disk or eye-plate.

For the purpose of transportation or for incasement by a covering, thesight-plate can be turned down and placed in a plane with the lower bar,B, or rest on the grip or barrel of the gun or fire-arm to which it isattached.

By the described manner of pivoting the parallel-motion barsindependently at both ends the sight-apertures in the plate or disk,when the said plate is raised, are caused to inscribe an increasingcircle, 0, of vision, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.1, and the plateor disk itself is caused to remain constantly at right angles to thebarrel of the gun or fire arm, as will be readily understood.

The sight has two different means of adj ustment, which will now bedescribed in detail.

On the upper bar, B, is formed a screwthread, I), on which turns amilled nut, If. Stops b b are secured to the lower bar, B, the formerlimiting the movement of the nut I)", and the latter forming a shoulderagainst which bears the end of the pressure-spring b, which springisthus inolosed between said stop I) and the nut b". The adjustment ofthe ICO free to yield forward, the parallel motion com-' pressing thespring, which will return them to position after a recoil or any othershock or cause that may affect them. This construction avoids anyliability of injury to the eye or the sight-plate from the recoil of thegun or fire-arm or from any other shocks it may receive.

The degree of elevation is indicated by a gage or scale, (I, on the barB, with which registers a slide, D. This slide is pivoted to a prop, Dhinged to the base-plate a, and moves over the gage or scale as theadjustingnut 12 is turned. The outward movement of the slide, as inclosing the sight, is limited by projections formed with an adjustableforked spring, D secured to the bar B, and when such slide bears againstthe projections of the said spring D the sight is ordinarily inelevation for the first range.

A friction-slide, D, closing the spring D follows the slide D upon thebar B, and acts as a stop for it at any point on the scale when adjustedfor higher elevations, and having rounded shoulders d on its upperend,adapted to compress the ends of the spring D and thus permit theslide D to move far enough to close the sight down flat upon the gun orfirearm. This slide D is also provided with milled edges, so that it canbe more readily operated 011 the bar B. This slide D incloses a flatspring, d which bears against the lower side of the bar B. By this meansthe said slide is held in any position of adjustment that may bedesired. The slides and spring thus act not only as an auxiliaryadjustment, but as a support and brace for the parallel bars in securingthe different elevations, and allowing the sight to move up or down incase of accident.

WVhatever may be the position of the parts the sight is free to'yieldforward against the pressure of the coiled spring, and also backwardwhen the milled nut bis not used, thus, as before stated, removing muchof the liability of injury from shocks when the sight is raised.

It is obvious that many minor changes in the construction andarrangement of the parts could be made and substituted for those shownand described without in the least departing from the nature andprinciple of our inven tion.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An adjustable sight for guns or fire-arms, consisting of a sight oreye-plate having a combined group of sight-apertures, whereby morelightand a greater scope to the vision are given, substantially as described.

2. In a sight for fire-arms, the combination, with the bars supportingthe sight-disk, of a base-plate composed of two pieces removably securedtogether, the lower or tang piece being concaved on the under side, sothat the plate may be secured to different forms of guns or fire-armswithout any change in the upper piece, which supports the sight-disk,substantially as described.

3. In a sight for fire-arms, the combination of a pair of hingedparallel bars, a sight-disk hinged thereto, a pressure-spring, and itsadjusting-nut, substantially as described.

4.. The combination, with the base-plate, of the pivoted parallel bars,the sight-disk supportably pivoted to the lower bar and operativelypivoted to the upper bar, the adjusting-nut, and pressure or recoilspring, and the stops 6 b", substantially as described.

5. In a sight for fire-arms, the combination of a sight-disk adjustablysecured to two parallel supporting-bars, a prop hinged to the base-plateand toa slide on the lower bar, a movable slide on said bar, and anadjustable stop, whereby the sight, when moved forward by pressure, willautomatically return to and be held at any predetermined elevation,substantially as described.

6. In a sight for firearms, the combination of a hinged 'sightdisk,parallel supportingarms hinged to the base-plate, a pressurespringmounted on the upper bar, and an adjustable stop, whereby the sight-diskmay be maintained at a right angle to the barrel of the fire-arm at anyelevation of the supportingbars, substantially as described.

7. In a sight for fire-arms, the combination, with the pivoted barcarrying the sight-disk and having agage on oneside, ofa prop hinged tothe base-plate and to a slide embracing and moving on said bar, a stop,and a forked spring having side projections on each arm, by which saidstop may be held so as to secure the sightdisk at its lowest elevation,substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the base-plate, of the parallel bars B B, thehinged sight-plate, the adj usting-nut and pressure-spring on the bar B,and the prop D, the slide D, and the friction-stop D on the bar B,substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the grip or tang piece a, of the base-piece a,parallel supporting-bars pivoted in cars formed on said basepiece a, andthe hinged sight or disk having combined sighting -apertures 0, wherebyin securing the elevations for diiierent ranges the radius of anincreasing circle is inscribed by said sight-apertures, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANCIS J. ORR. FRANK C. HOLMAN. Witnesses:

H. J. KELTNER, T. J. \VILLIAMSON.

